Turnaround puts Lake Minneola on path to big game at Evans

2:06 p.m. EST, October 31, 2012|Buddy Collings, INSIDE HIGH SCHOOLS

Of all the scenarios swirling in this, the final week of district football play, none is more surprising than second-year Lake Minneola in a district championship game against Evans (6-2, 3-0) on Friday night.

That's the Lake Minneola that started 0-2, which made it 1-11 in football. The Hawks we predicted would finish last in a five-team district. The Lake Minneola coached by guys dismissed by Evans following a 1-8 season two years ago to make room for Chip Gierke and the veteran coaching staff that turned around the Trojans.

The Hawks rose from baby steps to playoff contender the past two weeks when they beat the schools they pulled students from, Groveland South Lake and Clermont East Ridge. That upped Lake Minneola (4-4) to 2-1 in Class 7A, District 4.

"We had a big turnover issue early in the season, a lot of times in the red zone," Hawks coach CoreyBrinson said. "Over the last month, we've put it together, and the kids are believing and executing."

Brinson was defensive coordinator at Evans two years ago under Carl Holden, who was fired. Holden is now an assistant to Brinson.

"Everybody talks about that, but I don't think it has much to do with this game," Brinson said.

If Evans wins, Lake Minneola would need East Ridge (2-6, 1-2) to beat South Lake (3-5, 0-3) and join the Hawks in a three-way tiebreaker with Leesburg (5-4, 2-2) to settle second place. Leesburg would host the one-quarter mini-games on Monday night at 7.

Playoff pictures

Even more surprising than Minneola, is University's Cougars (6-2, 3-0) claiming their first district title by stunning Timber Creek (7-1, 2-1) in 8A-3. That leaves TC playing Winter Park (3-5, 2-1) for second.

Elsewhere, things are more complicated and could require a few Monday tiebreakers:

8A-1: DeLand (5-4, 3-1) takes the title if it beats Flagler Palm Coast (6-3, 3-1). But if FPC and Neptune Beach Fletcher (7-1, 3-1) win, DeLand is out of the playoffs.

7A-6: Osceola (8-0, 4-0) should win a district title game at Kissimmee rival Gateway (7-2, 3-1), which is 0-15 against the Kowboys. That would leave the door open for Harmony (3-6, 2-2), which started 0-5, to steal second by beating rival St. Cloud (3-5, 2-2). If Osceola and St. Cloud win, Gateway is runner-up.